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NEWS
PARIS MOTOR SHOW: Svelte look for Kia Rondo
Kia's new compact peoplemover delivers space and, for the first time, good looks...Kia has put 'sexy' and 'peoplemover' in the same sentence... Well, at least it has removed 'drop-dead ugly'.
Unveiled in Paris, the new Rondo peoplemover (the 'Carens' nameplate continues in Europe) is the last model to adopt the company's new corporate look, championed by Kia Chief Design Officer, Peter Schreyer.
It's a major shift away from the endearing but slightly stumpy – and bland – look of the outgoing car. Not only is the result a subjective achievement, it's one that can be measured too, with the new Rondo rating a drag coefficient of 0.30Cd – an impressive outcome for a vehicle that will seat seven.
“I wanted to give the new Carens [Rondo] a sleeker look and feel, to create a design that envelops its functionality and versatility in something altogether more athletic and dynamic,” said Mr Schreyer.
“This new-found visual dynamism is important – this car needs to look appealing and attractive – but during its design and development stages, we never lost sight of the fact that its packaging flexibility and adaptability are why people buy these cars."
In addition to the importance of reducing aerodynamic drag, Mr Schreyer and Gregory Guillaume, Kia's Chief Designer in Europe, said they focused on the new car's field of vision from the driver's seat and improving "the airy ambience within the cabin". Both those aspects drew the car's design team to concentrate effort on the Rondo's glasshouse.
“The base of the windscreen is very low and this works with the front quarter windows and the low and wide sweeping dashboard design to deliver excellent visibility,” Mr Schreyer explained.
And in a relatively commodious cabin the designers were already working from the basis of a headstart. It merely took the long panoramic sunroof to allow in the light that served to make the cabin seem larger still.
Design needs to take into account practical issues. The Rondo has been designed for markets where urban congestion is an issue. That's one reason why the new model is actually slightly shorter and narrower, with the steering wheel spinning from lock to lock in 2.7 turns. It's also why the Rondo has short overhangs and enough ground clearance (151mm) to sneer at gutters.
“A vehicle like the Carens [Rondo] is probably one of the hardest of all to get right because we are very tightly constrained by the car’s functionality,” said Mr Guillaume.
“That packaging versatility cannot in any way be compromised by the design of the car because to do so would eradicate the car’s raison d'être.”
Finally, Kia says the Rondo has to be a car that buyers can be proud to own. The company's designers say they have advanced the cause via a combination of macro and detail styling cues. A chrome strip running along the beltline below the side glass is one example of the latter.
“This not only adds a premium feel to the clean-cut exterior, but also creates a visual link with the new Sportage, which features the same design motif,” Mr Guillaume explained.
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Written byKen Gratton
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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